Chengyuan Wu MD MSBmE FAANS

08/30/2026

I’ve recently started building a YouTube channel focused on patient education around deep brain stimulation (DBS), Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, epilepsy, and the surgical treatments we use.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClhxkN-woN6tEQEtxuWdPQQ

The goal is simple: to explain these topics the same way I would in clinic—clearly, practically, and without unnecessary medical jargon.

I’m just getting started, but there’s much more to come.
If you or a family member are considering DBS or another neuromodulation procedure, I hope these videos can be a useful resource before or after a visit—and something you can easily share with family.

Parkinson's meds stopped working like they used to? Tremor making it hard to write, eat, or hold a cup steady? You're not stuck choosing between "wait it out" and "risky brain surgery." Dr. Chengyuan Wu is a board certified neurosurgeon who performs single-day, asleep, robot-assisted deep brain stim...

06/02/2026

Misconceptions about the risks of deep brain stimulation persist despite decades of experience and an expanding evidence base.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to discuss our recent work on this topic with the Movement Disorder Society podcast, hosted by Dr. Mitra Afshari, with Dr. Delaram Safarpour joining as a fellow guest. Accurate discussions of risk are essential for helping patients and families make informed decisions about DBS.

I hope you find the conversation helpful!

02/25/2026

09/24/2025

When electrodes deviate from their planned path, the error isn’t random. It’s a consistent, reproducible systematic error — which means it can be corrected once recognized.

Our new paper in Operative Neurosurgery (e-pub ahead of print) shows that both cannula and non-cannula approaches are subject to the same deviations. The real driver appears to be brain tissue mechanics, not the surgical tools.

Although correction is possible, the real challenge ahead is moving from reactive fixes to proactive strategies that prevent bending before it occurs. That’s not easy — but it’s where the field needs to go.

Full article here:
🔗 https://journals.lww.com/onsonline/fulltext/9900/surgical_technique_for_repositioning_deep_brain.1744.aspx

Thomas Jefferson University
Jefferson Health
Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience Jefferson Health
Villanova University
University of Delaware
American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)

09/05/2025

Stroke recovery shouldn’t stop before you’re ready!

The RESTORE study — led nationally by Dr. André Machado and Cleveland Clinic — is testing whether brain stimulation ( ) can help survivors regain use of their arm and hand.

We are honored to bring this groundbreaking research to patients here in the Delaware Valley, with Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health serving as one of the national study sites.

CNN recently featured this important work: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/08/14/health/deep-brain-stimulation-stroke

If you or a loved one in our region is living with arm weakness after a stroke, you may qualify. Learn more: http://restorestrokestudy.com/jefferson

RESTORE Stroke Study